Dishwashing machine



July 13 1926.

J. E. FERRIS ET AL DISHWASHING MACHINE Filed April 17, 1522 I N VEN TORAToRNEYs.

Patented YJuly 13, 1926.l

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE.

JOHN E. FERRIS AND WILLIAM F. ZACHER, F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN; SAIDZACHER ASSIGNOR T0 HYDRO-ELECTRIC MFG. C0., 0F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ACOR- PORATION OF WISCONSIN.

DISHWASHING MACHINE.

Application led April 17, 1922. Serial No. 554,048.

This invention relates 'to improvements in dish washing machines.

It is the primary object of this invention tol rovide means forutilizing effectively in a dish washing machine the power of the waterapplied to the dishes, and for raising the ower of the water to therequired intensit through the application of an eX- terna agency, suchas an .electric or other motor.

Hydraulic dish washing machines have met with much favor upon themarket, the power of the water being utilized to drive a rotor fordistributing the water through the machine, and the force of the jetsejected from the rotor bein food and dirt from t e dishes to be washed.It has been found, however, that in many communities the Water is notmaintained at suiiicient pressure to accom lish the desired objects, andmany communities wholly lack a supply of waterunder pressure. The dish Iwashing machine disclosed herein is particularly adapted to serve theneeds of residents of such communities. A

The machine hereinafter to be disclosed is primarily a hydraulic machinein that the actual washing of the dishes is accomplished b the iushingaction of the jets discharged rom the distributing nozzles. The ower ofthe water ejected from said jets 1s also utilized to drive rotors whichdis tribute or e ualize the action of the jets throughout t e machine,subjecting all the dishes therein to the repeated action of one or moreof the 'ets. In order, however, to utilize a hydrau ic machine incommunities where water yunder pressure is not available, this inventioncontemplates the. use of a power driven boosting device, adapted tostore kinetic energy in the'water for use in the hydraulic operation ofthe machine. The apparatus whereby energy is stored in the water passinthrou h the machine has a further functlon, in t at it assistsmaterially in the distribution throu h the machine of the hydraulic jetswhic accomplish the washing rocess.V l

It is, t erefore, more particularly the object of this invention toprovide means for washing disheshydraulically and for crey ating inthewash' Huid a pressure ada ted to perform the wor required of such uidutilized to fiush the` Like parts are identified by the same referencecharacters throughout the several views. y

5 represents the casing or'housing within which the dishes are enclosedfor washing. The" casing may be provided, if desired, withv a shoulderat 6, adapted to support a rack 7 upon which the dishes may rest. Thecasing may be further shouldered at 8 to support a removable cover 9.The dishes to be washed are represented at 10.

In the lower central portion of the casing 5 is a fitting 11 throughwhich the water is supplied and the power from the boosting devlce istransmitted. The fitting 1 1 is sta'- tionary and is provided with'; anannular flange 12 against which the bottom of the container 5 rests andis secured by the co1- lar 13 or other suitable means.

The fitting 11 may be provided with a central recess 15, surroundingwhich is an.

annular channel 16. The pipe 17 in communication with a source of watersupply leads through duct 18 to channel 16.

That portion 19 of the fitting 11 which immediate y surrounds the recess15 consti tutes a sup ort and bearingl for the main rotor 20, w ich isalso provided with an annular de ending bearin flan e- 21 contacting witthe outer wal 22 o fitting 11. The rotor 20 comprises a hub and two ormore radially projecting arms 23 and 24 which are preferably disposed smmetrically about the ub. A shaft 25 is ed u wardly through the recess15 and through t e ybearing and supporting member 19, and is keyed orotherwise secured at its upper end to the hub or rotor 20. Shaft 25 isarranged to be operatively driven by any available source of power, suchas the motor shown at 26.

los.

It will be obv'ious that a pulley may be applied to said shaft, whichmay be driven from any other source of power, as desired.

The radially extending arms 23 and 24 are hollow, as shown, and are incommunication through suitable openings with the annular channel 16formed in fittin0r 11. Associated with each of said arms, adjacent theopenings referred to, are scoops 27 and 28 respectively. These scoopsare arranged to travel in the annular channel 16 and to deliver watertherefrom to the arms 23 and 24 with which they are associated. Inl-"igure 1 the rotor 20 is arranged for counterclockwise rotation, andconsequently the scoop 27 is viewed from the rear and scoop 28 from thefront. It will be understood that when the motor is actuated. to turnshaft 25 and thereby to drive the rotor 20, scoops 27 and 28 will travelat high speed about the annular recess'l and will deliver watertherefrom into the radial arms 23 and 24 of the rotor.

The water so delivered will be impelled outwardly through each of saidarms by centrifugal force, and will thereby acquire a very considerableamount of kinetic energy. In fact, the rotor 20 constitutes, evenwithout the scoops 27 and 28, a. very efficient centrifugal pum The scoos, however, serve to facilitate t e action of t e pump, particularlyduring the initial operation thereof, since as soon as water appears inthe channel 16 it is engaged by the scoops and delivered' into the arms23 and 24. Even a small amount of water so delivered will act as apiston and, moving outwardly through said arms, will immediately startthe further flow of water throu h the device.

Arriving at t e ends of arms 23 and 24 the water is delivered to rotors30 and 31, each of which constitutes an independently operative reactionsprayer'. Each of the subordinate rotors 30 and 31 is journaled forrotation upon a fitting 32, threaded into the ends of arms 23 and 24.Each of said rotors 30 and 31 is rovided with radially extending arms 34of which terminate in jets 35,

fslightly inclined from the vertical, in the.

manner clearly shown in the drawings. It will be noted that the arms ofrotor 30 are inclined in a direction opposite to the direction ofinclination of the arms of rotor 31. Consequently, the reaction of theliquid expelled from the jets of rotor 30 will impel said rotor in anopposite direction to the direction of rotation of rotor 31. As shown inthe drawings, rotor 30 is adapted. to rotate in clockwise direction,whereas rotor 31 will rotate counter-clockwise.

Attention is directed to the arrangement of the parts in which theyappear in Figure 1. The rotor 20 is driven by the electric motor in acounter-clockwise direction. lThe rotor 31 is likewise drivencounter-clockwise.

whereas the rotor 30 is driven in a clockwise direction. Obviously,` theresultant directions in which the jets of liquid are eX- pelled from theseveral nozzles 35 will vary in accordance with the relative positionsof said nozzles. For example, that nozzle 35 which is shown in Figure 1,to be carried by rotor 31 and to l-e disposed adjacent the outer wall ofthe casing, is directed slightly rearwardly, but has the addedvelocities of rotor 20 and rotor 3l in a counter-clockwise direction.The other nozzle 35 carried by the same rotor is so moving that itsdirection of travel about the end of arm 24 is opposed to its directionof travel about the drive shaft 25. Obviously at this point the lastdescribed nozzle will have very little resultant movement in anydirection, and the jet discharged therefrom will accordingly follow theline of travel in which it is directed by the nozzle. Similarly, variantvelocities and directions of discharge may be shown to exist in the jetsdischarged from both nozzles of rotor 30, and the jets discharged fromrotor 30 will furthermore differ at any particular moment from thedirections and velocities of jets discharged from the nozzles of rotor31. In

consequence of the peculiar construction of this device, it follows thatthe jets of liquid discharged upon the dishes to be'cleansed areconstantly varying in angle, position of discharge, and velocity ofdischarge. As a result the several jets will strike the dishes from allsides and the possibility of any food being able to cling thereto isremote.

It will be clear Afrom the foregoing that the motor shown at 26 may bevaried in size to satisfy the requirements of the community in which thedevice is to be used. Supposing water to ybe available under pressure,and supposing that the pressure is insufficient to operate a hydraulicdish washing machine of the type heretofore used, a relatively smallelectric motor 26 will be adapted to boost the pressure of wateradmitted through pipe 17 to a degree sufficient for the effectiveoperation of the machine. If on the other hand. no water under pressureis available at all` a stronger electric motor 26 may be provided todevelop the requisite water power at the tips of arms 23 and 24 bycentrifugal action in said pipes. Where water under pressure is notavailable, the scoops 27 land 23 are of particular importance, in thatby their use the effectiveness of the. centrifugal pump is materiallyincreased.

In operating the device disclosed herein. the dishes 10 are placed uponthe rack 7 within the casing 5, the casing then being closed by thecover 9. The pipe 17 is counected with a source of water supply, the

water being under pressure if possible. A

suitable motor 26 is operatively connected with the shaft 25 and is setin operation to drive rotor 20. The arms 23 and 24 cartied by said rotorbeing in rapid rotation, suction is developed in the annular assage 16which drives water therein throng 1 pipe 17. Where water is providedunder pressuregit will already be fiowing through sa1d channel, and inany event'the initial flow will be materially aided by the operation ofscoops 27 and 28, which will lift the water from the channel and deliverit through the radial arms 23 and 24.

As the water reaches the end of said arms, the centrifugal forcedeveloped therein will deliver the water under a very consider ablepressure, and in this state of pressure it is delivered through theseparate rotors" 30 and 31 to their nozzles 35. The ejection of waterthrough these nozzles produces a reaction tending to drive each of therotors 30 and 31 independently in relatively reverse directions. Asexplained heretofore, the effect of the diverse rotation of thesubordinate rotors, in combination with the positive actuation of themain rotor 20, produces a constantly varying direction and rate ofdischarge in the jets 35, whereby said jets are caused to impinge uponthe dishes at various angles and velocities.

l/Ve claim:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination with abearingl member having an upwardly opening annular channel provided withan inlet port leading to its lower portion, of a rotor journaled uponsaid member interiorly and exteriorly of said channel wherebysubstantially to seal said channel, said rotor being provided with anoutwardly extending passage communicating with said channel, whereby tobe adapted to receive liquid under pressure therefrom, a shaftextendingthrough said member co-axially with said rotor and operatively connectedtherewith, the aforesaid journaling of said rotor on said memberinteriorly of said' channelv being adapted to exclude from access tosaid shaft a liquid in said channel.

2. In a dish washing'machine, mechanism for supplying and distributingwater under pressure, said mechanism including a rotor journaled forrotation about a given axis and providing a water passage extending awayfrom said axis, aV motor operatively connected with said rot-or for theactuation thereof, a water conduit leading to a portion of said passagenear its axis, and a reaction sprayer carried b y said rotor at a pointremote from the axis thereof and in communication with said passage,whereby the power actuated rotation of said rotor is adapted to developVcentrifugal pressure in a Huid in said passage and said pressure isutilized in the operation of said reaction sprayer.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination with anannularly channeled tting, of a rotor journaled, on said fitting andincluding outwardly extending pipes in communication with the channel,v

reaction sprayers at the ends of said pipes and adapted for operationunder the pressure developed by liquid passing through said pipes whensaid rotor is in operation, and a motor operable independently of saidliquid and connected with said rotor for the actuation thereof. i

4. A dish washing machine including an annularly channeled fittingprovided with an inlet port, a rotor journaled on said fitting andclosing the channel therein except for said port, said rotor includingoutwardly extending pipes in communication 'With the channel, and meansat the end of each pipe. for distributing fluid passing therethrough,anda scoop connected with cach pipe and adapted during rotation of saidrotor to move within said channel, said scoop being arranged to liftfluid therefrom into its associated pipe.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a device of the character describedincluding in combination an electric motor having a driving shaft, arotor provided with outwardly extending passages and arranged to bedriven from said shaft, fluid supply means in communication with saidpassages adjacent the axis of said rotor, whereby fluid supplied to saidpassages will be centrifugally impelled therein to develop pressure inthe course. of travel therethrough, and reaction sprayers incommunication with said passages and adapted to move with said rotor todistribute iuid supplied through said passa-ge, said sprayers beingadapted for actuation by pressures developed in said fluid as aforesaid.

6. A dish washing machine including an annularly channeled iittingcentrally dis'- posed and provided with a fluid inlet, a rotor journaledon the fitting in a Aosition for the substantial closure of the c anneltherein, whereby fluid admitted to said fitting when said rotor lisstationary will not escape between said tting and said rotor, said rotorbeing provided with outwardly extending passages in communication withsaid channel, and an electric motor provided with a shaft extendingaxially through said fitting within the channel therein and connectcdwith said rotor. I

7. In a dish washing machine, a. centrally disposed fitting providedwith an annular channel, a motor disposed beneath said fitting andprovided with a shaft extending centrally therethrough, a rotorjournaled on the fitting and connected with the shaft, said rotorincluding centrifugal passages in communication with said channel, afluid supply conduit leading to said channel, and a scoop associatedwith each of said passafres and depending in said channel, whereby eachSuch scoop will lift fluid fron-i said channel to its associated passagewhen said motor is in operation for the actuation of said rotor.

8. In a' dish washing machine, a rotor provided with radially extendingtubes, meansfor supplying fluid to said tu es irrespective of theirstate of rest or motion, a motor provided with a source of powerindependent of said fluid supplying means and connected in drivingrelation to the rotor, and reaction sprayers mounted upon the outer endof each tube carried by the rotor, one of said sprayers being arrangedfor clockwise rotation and another for counterclockwise rotation. l

9. In a dish washing machine, a rotor provided with a radially disposedtube, means for supplying fluid to said tube while the rotor is inmotion, a motor connected with said rotor for the actuation thereofhaving a source of power independent of said fluid supplying means, anda reaction sprayer at the end of said tube adapted to be driven.

by water pressure developed by centrifugal force within the tube,whereby centrifugal pressure developed in water in the course of itsdistribution within said tube is utilized in effecting the furtherdistribution of said water in said sprayer.

10. In a dish washing machine, a rotor provided with a set of outwardlyleading tubes, means for supplying fluid to said tubes, a motor providedwith a source of power independent of said liuid supplying means andoperatively connected in driving relation to the rotor, and reactionsprayers upon the ends of the tube rotatable upon an axis substantiallyparallel to the axis of the rotor and adapted to be driven by waterpressure developed by centrifugal force within the tubes of the rotor.

11. A dish washing machine including a centrally disposed rotor, a motorhaving a shaft in axial alignment with said rotor and directly connectedtherewith, a channeled fitting associated with said rotor, said rotorhaving outwardly extending passages adapted to maintain communicationwith said -channel during rotation, and reaction sprayers incommunication with said passages and adapted to be actuated by waterpressure developed in the delivery of water through said passages.

12. A dish washing machine including a central, annularly channeledfitting, a rotor journaled thereon coaxially with the channelA therein,a shaft extending through said fitting and directly connected with saidrotor an electric motor arranged to drive said shaft, a water supplyconduit leading to said channel, and reaction sprayers mounted on saidrotor and provided with oppositely inclined jets, whereby said sprayerswill operate in opposite directions, said rotor being provided with aradially extending passage affording communication between said channeland each sprayer.

13. In a device of the character described, the combination with achamber provided with relatively fixed and movable Valls, an inlet portin one of said walls and an outlet port in the other of said walls, saidchamber being closed except for said ports, of a scoop extending intosaid chamberand connected with the movable wall wherein one of saidports is located, and powers means connected with said movable. wall fortransmitting motion thereto whereby said scoop will elevate liquid fromsaid chamber to the port with which it is associated when relativemovement occurs between said walls.

14. In a device of the character described, a fitting provided with anannular channel having an inlet port a rotor journaled upon said fittingand provided with an outlet port, said rotor closing said channel exceptfor said inlet andv outlet ports, a scoop connected with said rotoradjacent one of said ports and extending into said channel for liquiddelivery to the adjacent port, and power means connected with said rotorfor transmitting motion thereto.,

15. In a device of the character described, a fitting provided with anannular channel having an inlet port, a rotor journaled coaxially withsaid channel and associated with said fitting, said rotor being providedwith .an outlet port and arranged to close said channel except for saidinlet and outlet ports, an electric motor connected with said rotor forthe actuation thereof, and a f scoop depending from said rotor adjacentsaid outlet port and arranged to travel in said channel, said scoopto befitted comparatively closely within said channel, whereby to elevatematerial therefrom into said outlet port.

JOHN E. FERRIS. WILLIAM F. ZACHER.

